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Nothing CMF Buds Neo vs Realme Buds Air 2: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the Nothing CMF Buds Neo comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 84. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: Nothing CMF Buds Neo - Outstanding overall at around $22.

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Nothing CMF Buds Neo leads on 7 of 7 measures.

  • Nothing CMF Buds Neo
  • Realme Buds Air 2
HearWiki score
84
62
Sound
7.4
5.9
Noise cancelling
7.8
5.4
Battery
9.0
4.8
Calls
7.8
6.5
Value
9.8
-
Price (USD)
$22
$32

Generation & platform

The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?

Half a step newer

Nothing CMF Buds Neo (2026) against Realme Buds Air 2 (2021). The Nothing CMF Buds Neo edges ahead on platform, but only just: ANC type Adaptive against Feed-forward.

  • CMF Buds Neo20265 yr newer
  • Buds Air 22021
What differsCMF Buds NeoBuds Air 2

Platform

ANC type
Adaptive
Feed-forward

Level on: USB-C, Custom EQ, Companion app.

Specifications

CMF Buds NeoBuds Air 2
Type
True Wireless
True Wireless
Price (USD)
$22
$32
HearWiki score
84
62
Released
2026
2021
Availability
Sold new
Still sold new
Driver
12.4 mm dynamic
10 mm dynamic
Driver type
dynamic
dynamic
Driver size
12.4 mm
10 mm
Drivers per side
1
1
Frequency response
-
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Bluetooth
-
5.2
Codecs
-
SBC, AAC
Multipoint pairing
-
No
Latency
-
88 ms
Wireless range
-
10 m
Battery life
11 h
5 h
Battery life (ANC on)
-
4 h
Battery incl. case
52 h
25 h
Full charge time
10 min
60 min
Quick charge
10 min → 5.5 h
10 min → 2 h
Wireless charging
-
No
Active noise cancelling
Yes
Yes
ANC type
adaptive
feedforward
Transparency mode
-
Yes
Companion app
Yes
Yes
Custom EQ
Yes
Yes
Wear detection
-
Yes
Controls
-
touch
Voice assistant
-
Yes
Weight
-
4.1 g
Case weight
-
34.5 g
Water resistance
-
IPX5
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Microphones
4
2
Call noise reduction
Yes
Yes
Call NR technology
-
ENC

What reviewers said

Nothing CMF Buds Neo

The CMF Buds Neo deliver impressive value for around $22, combining a punchy, bass-forward sound with surprisingly effective adaptive ANC and marathon battery life of up to 52 hours with the case. They offer a comfortable, lightweight fit, app support with a custom EQ, and quick charging, though some premium conveniences like wear detection are absent. Overall, they stand out as a top budget TWS option for listeners who prioritize bass, battery, and noise cancellation over extra features.

  • Pro:Strong bass-heavy sound with good volume
  • Pro:Effective adaptive ANC for the price
  • Pro:Excellent battery life (up to 52h with case)
  • Con:No wear detection sensor
  • Con:Finicky touch controls at times
  • Con:No physical pairing button on the buds

Realme Buds Air 2

The Realme Buds Air 2 are affordable true wireless earbuds that pack active noise cancellation, a transparency mode, and solid call quality into a compact, water-resistant design. With a 10mm driver and support for AAC and SBC codecs, they deliver versatile performance for budget-conscious listeners who want a balanced feature set without breaking the bank. Battery life is decent for the price, offering around five hours per charge and up to 25 hours with the case.

  • Pro:Effective feedforward ANC for the price
  • Pro:Clear and convincing transparency mode
  • Pro:Good call quality with dual microphones
  • Con:No wireless charging support
  • Con:Lacks multipoint connectivity
  • Con:Battery life drops to 4 hours with ANC on

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

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New comparisonNothing CMF Buds NeoRealme Buds Air 2